i got into this when arthur schlesinger spotted me in a restaurant in new york city three years ago, and he made a beeline, eleanor was still with me at that time, he made a beeline for me, he said, george, i've got a very important request. i'm the editor in chief of a series of books on all the presidents and i definitely want you to write on one of those presidents. pick anybody you want. unless it's already been spoken for. and i said, well, arthur, i just can't do that. elizabeth, i mentioned, the mcgovern-dole school lunch program, i can't be diverted from that right now. he saiding look, wrouff been telling me for 40 years that northwestern is a better school than harvard. now is your chance to either put up or shut up. because i'm going to criticize that book all the way through. i'm the editor in chief. well, i said, i guess if i could get my hero abraham lincoln, the founder of the republican party, by the way, i guess if i could get lincoln, i might do it. he said, too bad. president clinton has already asked for lincoln. well, i said, if he changes his mind, give me a cal